Specialist Rose

33)The Beginning Of The End

"Good morning!" I woke up with everyone screaming well wishes of the day at me. I was usually the first to rise for the day but here everyone was, awake and ready for the day gathered around my bed. I laughed lightly at Neon and Nora jumping on the foot of my bed whilst I sat up, threw my legs over the side of my bed and shoved my feet into my slippers.
"Alright, alright! What is everyone doing in here?" Ruby dropped my battle gear into my lap and gave the explanation,
"The greatest fight of your life could be today! With Yang and others constantly belittling the name you'll be defending the honour of Beacon Academy!"
I understood what Ruby meant by others and I realized that everyone- including Ruby's friends, who barely knew me were here to support me. I nearly brought me to tears to know that they did the same for me as they had done for their friend Ruby despite my name. It was just kind. I smiled a real smile that was so much different from my camera smile and ran into the bathroom with my clothes. I exited the bathroom to polished armour and a shotgun spear in perfect working order. Within 5 minutes I had gotten all suited up and even had a citrine crystal in my hand as a wonderful gift from violet-haired girl named Violet which was apparently a stone of success. I barely had any time to thank her before Ren ushered me into a chair and Jaune came up behind me with a hairbrush, he put my hair up and put my headpiece on perfectly. 
"How did you get so great at hair, Jaune?"
"Well similar to dancing I grew up with 7 sisters and I didn't come away without picking up a few things." He laughed off which only made my heart flutter. I was finished and ready to go but I stopped for a moment to look around the room. Ren, Colbolt and Bolin and Nora were fighting over some form of green slime that Ren had concocted and it looked like Ren and Colbolt were losing; Ruby and Arslan was on the phone with Ruby's wedding planner and Marrow; Neon was zooming Flynt around the room whilst Nadir ran after them; Reese -who was sleeping again- was being piggybacked by Penny who was bugging Blake and Weiss was waiting with Ciel who had a razor glare fixated on her watch. It was an underrated pleasure to take a moment and just see a scene like that, with all the people who care about you. 
Said moment was quickly broken as a timer on Ciel's watch went off and everyone behaved almost instantly and exited the room dragging me with them to the dining hall. We passed the headmaster who gave me a puzzled look as I ignored him entirely and Ruby gave him a dirty look. I was seated at our regular table and presented with my favourite- a plate of Kiwi and Banana pancakes. We all ate our breakfast and watched the Vytal Festival on Ren's scroll. Though it was mainly about Yang's arrest. With the history we decided just to turn off the scroll until it was announcing who would be fighting. And instead bored the guys to death talking about the wedding where I told Ruby my decision about my dress colour. 

It was 2 hours later when the announcers spun the randomizer. We all gathered around Ren to get a better look at the scroll. The news crew gathered around us as there were 3 of us who could be fighting today; so everyone held onto everyone's hand. The randomizer slowed to a stop on the left side. With one agonizingly slow turn it finally landed on me! I got lots of hugs and we were all happy until the right hand randomizer slowed to a stop on Penny. We celebrated for a moment until we all realized what that meant. We all fell silent and looked to one another until I spoke first, 
"But, but I don't want to have to fight my friend." Penny was in a similar state of confusion to me. But Ruby being the great leader she always has been stepped in with a compromise.  
"Look, Pyrrha you are defending the honour of Beacon Academy and Penny you are trying to prove yourself to your father so I think you can agree to not go easy on each other agreed?" We both agreed and let her continue. 
"And one of you being beaten doesn't mean your friendship will be ruined and you are both getting ice cream as my treat afterwards no matter the outcome. So for half an hour you can spar each other, is that ok on both ends?" Again we both agreed and we were both feeling happier and the camera crew was getting some good footage of multi kingdom co-operation. Ciel spoke up next, 
"In that case might I suggest we head to the arena as you have 8 minutes and 24 seconds before your fight." She got her usual odd but fond looks for that comment. Before I could reply affirmatively Bolin surprised me by picking me up and putting me on his shoulder. I looked over to see Penny sat grinning on the shoulders of Colbolt, we stayed there until we were in the entrance of the coliseum where Penny and I high fived and jumped down and landed on the ground.  Everyone hugged everyone and me and Penny walked together into the arena. She took left and I took right. 

Camera POV

"And here we watch those still in the tournament watch nervously to see which contestants will be participating today!
Pyrrha Nikos, Penny Polendia and Ruby Rose and her friends all sat on a table gathered around 1 scroll together. They celebrated as Pyrrha and Penny were chosen until it sunk in what that meant. 
"Ooh, 2 friends not wanting to fight. It is good to see other Beacon students have a friendship with students from neighbouring kingdoms. And Miss Rose has stepped in to find a compromise. I'll say ice cream is a good compromise."  
Pyrrha and Penny got hoisted up onto the shoulders of their friends. 
*SCENE CUT*

Ruby POV

We were eagerly awaiting for the fight to begin, Neon was bouncing in her seat and Violet was attempting to bless them both with some more crystals. I was just as excited, that is until I saw Emerald from across the arena. I don't know how or why Emerald was here but the sinking feeling in my stomach told me that she wasn't here for ice cream. I had to go see what was happening. I'm not sure if it was intuition or something else but I decided to go check in maintenance for my answers. I took a few steps into the long hall and my breath left my lungs as out of a side door Mercury walked out- absolutely fine. Memories of Yang claiming that she didn't attack him came flooding back to me and I didn't know what to think. 
"M-Mercury? You. But you were hurt and- What's going on?" Outside I heard the fight start and Mercury grinned the sort of smile you wouldn't see from a friend. My mind raced to figure out an explanation and I finally found one- one that I didn't like.
"No!"
"Ooh, metal VS polarity. That could be very bad." I made a run for the door- I had to stop the fight! But before I had even turned around I felt a pain in the back of my head and I fell forward into the blackness.


Haha! And we have kicked off the Fall of Beacon! This will be fun- for some people at least.
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See you later, love Lizzi